Recovering The Gospel Of God's Grace
By Michael J. S. Austin, Ph.D.

This is close to my central passion - recovering what has either been lost or simply missed in the gospel and then making it clearly and widely known. Oftentimes the gospel gets cluttered with a lot of baggage and dismissed by preconceived ideas. In this article I aim to share a summary of the central message, the climax of the ages; the good news of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

� What this is NOT

First let me clear the ground and tell you what I am not doing - I have not just unearthed a fantastic golden key for unlocking all mysteries, nor am I going to tell you to your open-mouthed amazement that I have just dug up in the Gobi desert, near fossil dinosaur eggs, a scroll that give a whole new slant on Christianity! Neither am I sharing how to meditate your way into the centre of divine consciousness. With those ideas cleared out of the way, we must ask, "Just what is the gospel - the central biblical message?"

� Christianity is Christ

This is where I am positively sharing the Lord Jesus Christ - he is the centre. In his humanity, Jesus was descended from David, a king of Israel. He who made all things, the eternally pre-existing second Person of the triune living God, was born in Bethlehem. At around 30 years of age, Jesus began his public ministry. He taught with astonishing authority as he announced the imminent royal reign of God, freely shared God's compassion, gave sight to the blind, cleansed lepers, welcomed moral outcasts and raised the dead. These mighty acts accredited and confirmed both Jesus' message and his Person, as Israel's long-awaited royal deliverer - their Messiah and Son of God (see Luke 5:13, Luke 18:41-43, John 11:44, Acts 2:22-24).

� God in action on behalf of others

In his crowning work as both God and man, Jesus gave himself into death as the final, divinely appointed sacrifice for sin (see John 1:29 & Hebrews 10:12), when he was publicly crucified by command of the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. But on the third day Jesus was raised, bodily resurrected by God, with many compelling evidences, as Lord over all for ever. All of this fulfilled what the Old Testament prophets had foretold. All was 'in accordance with the Scriptures' (1 Corinthians 15:3 & 4).

Jesus' setting in history shows that Christianity is rooted in a real person who fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies. We are not merely talking about wonderful ideas, but carefully recorded teaching and events that can be checked out as to their time and place.

� Jesus is Lord and Saviour

Following Jesus' resurrection and ascension to his rightful place of universal Lordship, he began to pour out the Holy Spirit empowering his disciples to spread the news of salvation to all the nations. God has spoken! He has made himself known in Scripture and supremely in the Lord Jesus. Now we may know that as well as creating all things and being himself the moral foundation of the universe, the eternal Son of God has gone to the limits of love, paying the awful price of sin, so that all who turn to him in repentance and faith may be freely forgiven (see Acts 13:38 & Romans 3:23, Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9). Now they live for him who gave his all for them!

� How much we need to be saved!

The New Testament Scriptures explain how the terrible revolt against God's authority means we all share in the consequences - we are all law-breakers, sinners who continually miss God's perfect standard. We stand condemned, guilty and under sentence of eternal banishment from God. This was the sentence that Jesus willingly endured when he died on the cross. That is boundless grace and love - the self-sacrificing love of God that we see focused - at the cross.

� Grace is always more than you think!

God's grace is at the heart of the good news: Jesus' death is God's grace in action. Now he calls people to receive peace with God and to be justified by faith. And all freely on account of the perfect sacrifice for sins made by the Lord Jesus, God's sinless Son, when he shed his blood, dying upon the cross. Nowhere else will you ever hear of such love as this! This is the extraordinary good news of the grace of God. This is why when God's Spirit moves your heart and mind; you must call upon the Lord, trusting HIM to save you - rescuing you from sin's condemnation.

� You are never too bad!

None are too bad for such a great Saviour! Many indeed, would have written themselves off in their awful excess and hardness of heart unless the Good Shepherd had not lovingly pursued them. Many have felt a great weight of sin and guilt, before they simply trusted that the Lord Jesus has taken their place and died for their sins - Oh, he did it for me, and it can never be undone! They grasp that by faith they may be freely justified - declared 'not guilty'! Oh, the joy that follows - their utter sense of amazed wonder that God would welcome and freely forgive, even THEM! Here in salvation, we see the overflowing riches of God's grace in action! (See Ephesians 1:6 'glorious grace' and 2:7 'the immeasurable riches of his grace'). The Bible is very clear that 'salvation belongs to the Lord!' (Jonah 2:9).

� No-one has reached God's standard

Perhaps you feel you are not that bad and hardly need a Saviour at all, compared with many. This is where you must turn away from such pride, comparing your own performance with others! For, 'All have sinned'! (Romans 3:23).

This is the wonder and astonishment of the ages that God would forgive even those who have little idea how seriously he views their rebellion against himself! Are you amazed that God would freely forgive all who turn to him in repentance and faith? Then seek the Lord while he may be found and get right with him today. Prove that he also is the God of grace for you - overflowing in undeserved favour, as you trust his promise in 'the gospel of the grace of God' (Acts 20:24)!

ANSWERS FOR A SEARCHING GENERATION

Michael J. S. Austin, Ph.D. has authored several books and many articles that offer answers for many of life's big questions - 'Is biblical Christianity finished, or does it still speak to the 21st century?'

Take a look at my ebook, I saw Him die - Viewing Jesus' death TODAY

Use the following link: http://www.amazon.com/saw-Him-die-Viewing-ebook/dp/B007TX696U/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_t_2

This title is challenging! Pray for Revival - in China, Arab regions and everywhere!

Try this link: http://www.amazon.com/Pray-Revival-everywhere-challenge-ebook/dp/B007WT07PA/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340899344&sr=1-1&keywords=pray+for+revival+-+michael+austin

Use my books and articles to help you find faith in Christ, or to strengthen your faith.

Also find titles on other websites - Thank you!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_J._S._Austin,_Ph.D.
http://EzineArticles.com/?Recovering-The-Gospel-Of-Gods-Grace&id=7241351

7 Steps to a Healthy Marriage

By Denise Spooner

COMMITMENT

Commitment is the foremost important decision to make before you are wed, beginning with, "from this day forward.." Statistics show, those with a mind set of believing they are marrying ‘until do us part' have a 50% greater chance of weathering storms that come their way during their marriages. With over half of all marriages ending in divorce within the first three years, that doubles your chances of marriage survival. 

Going into marriage knowing you are basically stuck for life with the one you have chosen, will make a drastic impact on decisions you make together with your spouse, how you handle conflict, how many children you both want if any, where you want to spend your lives together, career choices and much more.

Be committed from day one, make the choice to stick it out no matter what. With this in mind, all decision will be made together, all conflicts will be resolved, you will agree on how many children you want, where you want to live together and what careers you both want to purse with eachother's blessing and support. 

Pray with Kenneth Copeland about Severe Drought Across America

The drought across the country has taken its toll on crops, causing farmers to lose money. Grass that was once green has turned brown and resembles straw. There's a great need for rain. Many municipalities have limited the days in which residents can water their lawns. We need rain! The record-setting high temperatures have also caused many people to suffer heat-related illnesses. We need rain!

Let's join with Kenneth Copeland in praying for rain. To do so, click here:
Pray with Kenneth Copeland about Severe Drought Across America

Never Fear Another Day
By Steve Wickham

Everything lies ahead of us as opportunities to be conquered. When we know this, when we lock it into our consciousness through a sense of inspired habit, we never have to fear again.

Our sins and our brokenness are borne over the shoulders of Christ and we no longer have to carry that burden. But this knowledge must find its way into our relational worlds through the constant practice of letting go and living beyond the strains of the protected psyche - that place we go in order to protect ourselves from risk, usually through avoidance. This is the place we go to when we fly away from our darkness.

We have to accept our darkness.

Once we have accepted our darkness - that, we are all sinners - and, we can remain conscious of both our lack and the completeness of God's grace to completely meet that lack - we live free.

There is then the ability to never fear another day.

DISCIPLE OR 'LIVING HERESY'

There are many insufficient, inappropriate and inadequate theories advocating how to live the Christian life. There may be more misguided attempts to live the Christian life than well-advised endeavours to pick up one's cross and follow Jesus.

Any Christian life lived that minimises either the sinner's sinful nature, within that man or woman or boy or girl, or the grace of God to save them, is a heresy.

Both the truth of the sinful nature and the truth of the grace of God must be borne front and centre of mind. The more honestly we consciously admit and tackle our sinful natures, knowing they will remain with us throughout our lives until glory, the more we will marvel at and actively rely upon the grace of God.

The more we hold these two things in tension with each other, the better we will live the Christian life, and the less the probability we will be living heresies.

Added to this is the additional blessing; we never need fear another day.

THE IMPORTANCE OF REMINDERS

We are a forgetful people. We need to be reminded, or remind ourselves, of the need to be fearless. Being acknowledged sinners means guilt and shame can be disposed of. We loudly applaud the grace of God that sanctifies us. But we quickly forget how amazing grace is.

When the amazing reality of grace is realised, mindfully, it helps us live fearlessly.

With grace already behind us we have nothing to lose and nothing left to prove.

But again, we need practical ways of reminding ourselves of this urgent and important truth. We need to be reminded how well the grace of God covers our darkness.

� 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner (BSc, FSIA, RSP[Australia]) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). Steve writes at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Wickham
http://EzineArticles.com/?Never-Fear-Another-Day&id=7201394

The Power of Praise & Worship

By Dr. Dale A. Robbins

Acts 16:23-26 “And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
(24) Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
(25) And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
(26) And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.”

This Bible story begins the unjust arrest of Paul and Silas. Because they had cast a spirit of divination out of a girl, the local Philippian authorities beat them and then threw them into a jail cell. Besides the trauma of the severe beating, they were fastened in stocks which clamped their arms and legs in an immobile position, causing cramps and loss of circulation. The atmosphere there was depressing. According to the standards of that day, a prison was more like the resemblance of a dungeon. A dark, damp, stench-ridden place, with no facility for waste or comforts of any kind.

Yet, in spite of the throbbing pain in their bodies and the disheartening atmosphere, at midnight Paul and Silas were heard praying and singing praises to God! What a strange sound this must have been to the other prisoners, who were used to only hearing the groans or cursings of those who had been beaten.

Then suddenly, there was an earthquake that shook the prison! The doors flung open, and amazingly, the bonds of Paul, Silas, and every other prisoner were released! What caused this mighty discharge of power?

Too Busy For Life?

By Darlene Bishop

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33).

A man I knew lost his daily planner a while back. It contained all his contact addressees, his calendar, to do list, and monthly reminders. It even held his personal credit card information and expenses for the past year. He was devastated. Not as much for the loss of his personal information, which was bad enough, but because he had appointments scheduled and notes to himself that he hadn't recorded anywhere else. He didn't know where he was supposed to be or when, and he didn't know what he needed to do!

In our society, many people greatly rely on planners, computers, wall calendars, or personal digital assistants (PDA's) to keep them on schedule and to help them accomplish all they need to do. I know...I'm one of them! Because our plates are too full of the smorgasbord of life - church, work, school, grocery shopping, errands, ball games, school plays, bowling leagues, doctor appointments, church dinners, club meetings, etc. - we must keep a written account of what we need to do and when. Without it, we're lost and unable to accomplish our desired, or even necessary, objectives.

Prayer Changed America's History and Can Do it Again!

History provides hope for another spiritual awakening in the U.S.
By Dr. Dale A. Robbins

Today we face what seems to be a hopeless condition in America. Gross immorality has engulfed the land. Crime has taken over the streets. Sexual promiscuity and perversion fills our society. Drunkenness and drug abuse is everywhere. God has been rejected by most of our citizens -- virtually kicked out of our government and our schools. A few years ago, Billy Graham issued a profound warning, that “If God doesn’t soon bring judgment upon America, He'll have to go back and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”

How far it seems that the United States has drifted from its rich religious heritage. But many may not realize, that despite our nation’s Christian beginnings, in only a few short years after it’s founding it had already declined to a level of moral decadence and depravity that would rival today’s sad condition.